Research by communications regulator Ofcom has shown that between 2004 and 2008 the hours of regional news broadcast in Wales fell from 454 to 365, a drop of 15%.
The figures, showing BBC’s total Welsh TV production tumbled from 846 hours in 2004 to 716 last year. Meanwhile, the total hours of local television in Wales produced by ITV dropped from 536 in 2004 to 477 in 2008. Its Welsh news output declined from 294 hours in 2004 to 279 in 2008.
The BBC remains the most popular source of local television news in Wales. It has a 36% share, compared to ITV’s 17%. However, this is gradually declining and is down 3% on 2008.
In Wales, people spent a slightly higher proportion of viewing time watching UK-wide news and sport than other devolved nations.
The average person watches 84 hours of news broadcast across the entire UK over a year, compared with 25 hours of local news.
These figures reflect the squeeze being experienced by more traditional channels as a result of digital broadcasting and increased competition from other channels. They are also evidence of the impact of declining advertising revenues and the squeeze on the BBC’s budgets.
All broadcasters appear to be reacting to these financial pressures by centralising operations and cutting back on regional programming. The exception is S4C, which has substantial funding from the taxpayer and which dramatically increased its Welsh-language programming from 4,386 hours in 2004 to 5,326 in 2008 – of which 3,237 hours were repeats.
As has been noted elsewhere this trend towards more centralised media coverage of news and current affairs in particular but also in the way that regional and national life is reflected in programming is bucking the constitional trend of greater diversity, more local decision making and the devolution of legislative powers.
It is possible that the economic forces that are driving these broadcasting issues are too powerful for any government to buck without greater regulation and more public funding. It is possible too that even that will not be enough due to the international nature of broadcasting via satellite but surely it is incumbent on government to try with what limited resources it has at its disposal in the interests of greater democratic engagement.
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I just hope that competitors to the BBC such as ITV who produce good news can keep afloat. It’s not a healthy thing for a state funded and owned broadcaster such as the Beeb to have a monopoly over broadcasting. ONe could imagine the government pulling the plug on certain things and giving a general guidance on how they want broadcasting to go. Especially over international affairs. If you can remember some of the most daring and memorable programmes such as Spitting Image (one example) were on ITV. I doubt if such a programme could get away with being on the BBC.